Patrick Sommier, a French theater director, is dovoted to passing on the true meaning of Chinese operas to the French public.

On the occasion of the     1     (celebrate) for the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in 2004, Sommier     2     (invite) to cooperate on a joint project to spread Peking Opera in France. Sommier says that when he arrived in China, like many other     3     (European), he showed great interest in Chinese operas. The beauty of Peking Opera     4    (immediate) caught his heart, he says.

Recalling his first cooperation with the Chinese team, Sommier says he was impressed by the actors’ makeups, costumes,     5     the characters of incredible strength. He was also touched by the Chinese professors’ effort     6     (pass) their acting skills to their students by acting with them. One professor explained, “In China, opera is     7     art requiring lifelong devotion and the effect of the performance largely     8     (depend) on the actors’ inner strength and acting skills.”

Sommier began exploring into different performance forms and suggested introducing Chinese operas     9     the French audience. The team then gave some     10     (origin) performances, some without makeups or costumes and some with students performing classics in a traditional way.

Now, as drone (无人机) technology has advanced so rapidly, high-tech drone shows are more likely to replace fireworks to light up the sky during special events.     1    (compare) to fireworks, drone shows have several advantages. “While fireworks can create a     2    (joy) atmosphere, drone shows can be tailored and can present more specific information,” Yang said, “They are safer and more environmentally friendly, and with their high-tech touch, are     3     next-generation communication platform.”

Picture yourself traveling along the ancient Silk Road. The air     1     (fill) with the pleasant sound of camel (骆驼) bells, the appealing smell of spices, and the rising steam from cooking pots. In this diverse scene, traders exchange not only silks and treasures but also lamb kebabs     2     (dance) on open fires, hand-pulled noodles moving like acrobats (杂技演员), and sweet-smelling rice dishes shining with spice diamonds.     3     they are lamb kebabs or hand-pulled noodles, each offering tells a story of trade and the harmonious mixing of cultures.

Yuan Longping, known as the “father of hybrid rice”, is one of China’s most famous scientists. After overcoming numerous technical challenges, Yuan     1     (pioneer) hybrid rice—the first hybrid rice that could be used for farming.     2     is estimated that about 60% of China’s rice consumption now comes from his hybrids. Yuan’s innovation has benefited not only China but also rice-dependent     3     (country) like India and Vietnam. Despite wealth and fame, he considered himself a farmer and made substantial donations for agricultural research, showing his     4     (commit) to the land and its people.

The recent hit in China is all about Harbin, Helongjiang. Numerous netizens have expressed their longing for this northern ice city,     1     (enthusiastic) declaring, “Harbin, I’m coming!”

Among those highlights,     2     journey of 11 kids from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has melted hearts across the Internet. Chinese netizens have been eagerly following their adventures online.

Fondly (深情地)     3     (describe) as “Little Tangerines (柑橘)” for their orange-colored coats, the kids also visited China’s northernmost town,     4     they sang the national anthem. The firefighters there had prepared snow sculptures and snowmen, eagerly expecting the     5     (arrive) of the “Little Tangerines”. Mr. Liang, the leader of the group, confirmed their coming in Mohe.

This study tour, under the spotlight of the entire Internet,     6     (draw) a lot of attention. The parents are grateful for the concern shown by netizens and the care provided by friends in the Northeast China. They feel more     7     ease with everyone’s collective support.

    8     was reported that the residents organized a fleet of about 300 private vehicles,     9     (provide) free rides to tourists. Despite the city’s freezing climate, its residents work diligently     10     (create) a warm environment for their guests.

Growing up, Li Bai displayed a love for literature, reading Chinese classics.     1     (follow) the Li family tradition, Li read a lot of books and started composing poetry at a very young age.

Soon, Li travelled extensively, most famously to Chang’an where the Tang court was located, and his literary     2     (excellent) impressed Emperor Xuanzong. Li     3     (offer) a job at the court and allowed     4     (hold) a respected position in the Hanlin Academy by the emperor. It was during this time that Li made the acquaintance of (结实) Du Fu, a poet     5     politician, who he established a close literary friendship with.

Li’s poetry is one of     6     most read poetry on Chinese curriculums today. His poetry stuck to the traditional poetic form. But he also bent the rules of formal poetry to create a(n)     7     (person) form of writing. The common themes in Li’s poetry were nostalgia (怀旧), country, peace, and humanity. His ability to     8     (accurate) recall scenes in his poetry with so much vividness demonstrates his skill to evoke (唤起) memories and emotions.

    9     most readers of Li’s poetry would identify him with is his fascination with the moon and especially wine, often     10     (enjoy) at the same time. The moon and moonlight is a popular subject in his poetry, often leaking him relive a long-ago memory.

Whenever you have to write a paper, a letter, or any other document for work or school, you probably head toward the computer. Now, most people reach for     1     (keyboard) faster than they pick up pens. In a Scottish primary school, however, Mr. Norman Lewis is taking a different approach. He feels that neat handwriting     2     (be) still an important skill, so he has his students write not only by hand but also     3     old fashioned fountain pens.

Fountain pens     4     (use) in schools long ago and have been regaining popularity lately because they are refillable. Today, a writer     5     (simple) throws an empty pen away and gets     6     new one.

So far, Mr. Lewis is pleased with the results of his experiment. He reports that his students are taking more care with their work, and their self-confidence has improved as well. He is happy with the     7     (improve) he sees in his students’ writing     8     in his own writing. He knows that computers are here     9     (stay) and that they will not disappear. However, he believes that the practice with fountain pens helps students to focus, to write faster, and they can feel proud of     10     (they).

Marrakech (马拉喀什) is the fourth largest city in Morocco and has a rich architectural heritage. However, an earthquake in September caused serious damage     1     some of them in the city.

The Medina district, the old cultural center of Marrakech, was one of them.     2     (add) to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1985, the district is enclosed by 900-year-old walls built of red sandstone that once     3     (defend) the city against danger. However, large parts of these walls were damaged in the earthquake and long sections now show deep cracks     4     other parts have collapsed.

Apart from ancient walls, Morocco World News reported that the city’s Kharbouch Mosque (清真寺) was almost     5     (entire) destroyed. Before the earthquake, it was a cultural center for the city     6     dancers and storytellers performed. A local resident     7     (tell) The New Arab that the mosque dates back to the 17th century.

After visiting Marrakech     8     (follow) the destruction, Eric Falt, an officer at UNESCO, stressed that it was necessary to immediately plan for the     9     (construct) of damaged cultural assets (资产). The earthquake’s impact on Marrakech’s cultural heritage     10     (expect) to be a long-term challenge that will require careful restoration efforts, noted Morocco World News.

Jianbing is one of China’s most popular street breakfasts.    1    Chinese dumplings have spread well beyond the country’s borders, Jianbing might be China’s best-kept culinary secret. Every neighborhood has its own Jianbing vendor(摊贩) serving breakfast from dawn through mid-morning, satisfying hungry    2    (local) on their way to work.

Contrary    3    what you might think, Jianbing is no grab-and-go street breakfast.    4    (preserve)the crispness(酥脆) of the pancake, Jianbing is never cooked ahead of time, so waiting in a line is part of the culture. But     5    (basic), Jianbing is a breakfast worth waiting for.

Jianbing has a longer history than almost any other Chinese street food. Thought to have originated in Shandong Province during the Three Kingdoms Period, military strategist Zhuge Liang had his soldiers cook food on shields(盾)    6    (hold) over the fire.

Of course, if Jianbing were that easy to make, it would have taken the world by storm long before now. Part of     7    challenge in copying the dish is that the recipe for a Jianbing differs by region, and even by vendor. Many consider it     8    (possible) to make your own Jianbing without months of practice and tuition from a master. Yet a few committed foreigners have made it, who     9    (inspire) to bring Jianbing to a hungry audience after their first taste in China back in the 1980s. In the UK, twins Melissa and Oliver Fu, owners of Mei Mei’s Street Cart are bringing the joys of jianbing first to London and now Manchester despite all the difficulty they have in    10    (perfect) their technique.

A must-see tourist     1     (attract) in China, Xi’an is really a living history book in China. People     2     home and abroad come to the city to broaden     3     (them) knowledge of Chinese civilisation. The Terracotta Warriors, City Wall and Mount Huashan are     4     (true) highlights of Xi’an tours, but the Y592 tourist train in Xi’an is also worth a try.

The Y592 is Shaanxi Province’s first Han (206-220) and Tang (618-907)     5    (dynasty) culturally themed tourist train. Through various forms of cultural decorations, the themed train recreates the rich atmosphere from these ancient times,     6     (allow) passengers to feel as if they were traveling back in time.

Inside the carriages, passengers can not only admire carefully recreated     7     (tradition) Chinese clothing Hanfu and armor (盔甲) but also personally experience costume (服装) changes.

    8     (help) passengers better appreciate (欣赏) the beauty of Hanfu, this tourist train not only has a section displaying Hanfu and armor, but also a special makeup area with professional makeup artists. They help passengers recreate the perfect look, providing     9     unique travel experience     10     allows them to “transform on board, and time-travel upon arrival.”